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Click the
thumbnails to enlarge the pictures below.
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| On Tuesday 13th of May, Brendan Gill, the well known and
highly regarded local personality reached the 60 year milestone of his
life. A surprise party was arranged in the Strand Hotel by Mary
Carmel and his work colleagues, old and new. A great night's
entertainment was had by all and food and beverage was in
abundance. Mark Murphy, Paddy & Rose provided musical
entertainment. Nuala showed she has lost none of her Irish dancing
ability and performed some intricate steps with the confidence of a ten
year old. (I'm reliably informed that Nuala attended the Kitty
Sheehan School of Irish Dancing).
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 Nuala
O' Sullivan, displaying her Irish dancing skills at the party.
She is equally talented at singing and gave a rendition of "Roads
of Kildare".
Paddy Fogarty provided the music.
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 Brendan
in action doing his Jimi Hendrix impersonation.
He hasn't lost the touch !
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| Brendan has been a staff member of the Strand Hotel since 1978 and
before that worked in the Butler Arms Hotel. He started there on
15th of April 1960 and worked as a chef along with Joe Guilfoyle and
Raymond Hunt. Billy Huggard was the hotel proprietor at the time
and still remains a good friend of Brendan. In his time in the
Butler Arms Hotel he met the likes of Telly Savalas of Kojac fame and
Bob Hope but really enjoyed the occasions when he cooked for Charlie
Chaplin who was also a frequent guest. In spite of having met so
many greats over the years including Dev., Pres. Childers, Mary
Robinson, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh and Mary McAleese, Brendan's greatest
hero is our own Mick O' Dwyer.
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 Brendan
with his hero Micko who travelled from Laois for the occasion, along with
Mary Carmel.
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 Mary
O' Sullivan & Bridie Murphy are some of his more senior work
colleagues.
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Brendan is as active as ever and looks after his farming interests
with the same zest as ever. He is very much an outdoor person and
is a renowned goat farmer. In the environs of Breahig he can often
be heard calling some of his extensive herd e.g. Debbie, Nellie, Kitty,
Diane etc.
Brendan has lived most of his life in Breahig, where he took great care
of Hannah and Batt Curran, especially in the later years of their
lives. He left them wanting for nothing.
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 Brendan
explains to Paul Concannon how good the music was in the 60s & 70s
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 DJ
/ Golfer, Mark Murphy & Haulie O' Dwyer pose for a picture with the
birthday boy
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| In his younger days Brendan was well known in the dance halls of
Kerry and rubbed shoulders with the likes of Brush Shiels who is his all
time pop idol along with Jimi Hendrix. Big Tom, Dickie Rock and
Brendan Shine were others who sampled his hospitality during their gigs
at the Strand. However, he regards Mike Small & the Memories
as the greatest showband ever. He feels the 60s and 70s were the
best for music and he assures us he danced with none other than Shirley
McLaine in 1964 in the Butler Arms Hotel. In 1962 he
travelled to Cork to see the Rolling Stones (favourite rock band).
He owns 2,800 LPs approximately and remembers the first record he ever
bought in 1961...."The Rose of Tralee" sung by Joseph
Locke. He remembers he paid 19 shillings for it but unfortunately
it has gone "missing". He also remembers being at the
Atlantic Boat Club's dinner dance in 1964. The cost was
17/6. The food was served in the Bay View Hotel and the dancing
took place in the Wave Crest Ballroom (next to CheDean Café). For
their tepsicorean artistry on that occasion, he and his school friend
Noreen Moriarty won a spot prize.
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 Brendan,
as can be seen here, still hasn't lost his touch for attracting the
ladies.
Who is that lady????
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 The
cake arrives & Brendan wonders did he blow all the candles out at
the first go. John O' Shea, another good friend looks on and spots
one still lighting.
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| Brendan was never been short in the energy line and can boast
that he never missed "The Rose of Tralee" or "Puck
Fair" for in excess of forty years. Many will remember his
exploits in the marquee at festival time when he would climb the centre
poll to the top without difficulty. He's still as fit as ever and
no doubt if the occasion arose he would do so again. What keeps him so
fit? ......Plenty of exercise and certainly no alcoholic
drink. He's a pioneer for many a year and is the living proof that
you can have a good time without having alcohol. He does admit to
having a sweet tooth though.
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 Well
known local entertainers, Paddy & Rose Fogarty, good friends of
Brendan also.
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 Appropriately
designed birthday cake by Fiona of the Corcán.
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Brendan is the "on the ground manager" of the Strand Hotel
and looks forward to many more years of service to the public. He
is a particular favourite of the Bridge Club and they all love him
dearly.
We wish Brendan well for the future. His good humour,
cheerfulness, kindness and generosity have endeared him to all who have
been privileged to meet him.
P.S. Brendan is Lisa Donnelly's godfather, to whom he imparts
religious advice whenever the opportunity arises.
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